Exhibition «National Design Award of Latvia 2018»

In 2017, a new tradition was launched in the field of design in the form of the first–ever National Design Award of Latvia (NDAL). This is an annual national design industry competition, whose goals are to identify, judge and promote the best accomplishments of Latvian designers, thus facilitating the use of design created in Latvia and long–term development and growth of the Latvian design sector. The competition is open to organisations and private individuals that use design as a driving force for innovation and create products or services.

This year, the first prize of the NDAL was awarded to Riga IFF visual communication and spatial objects (design studio «Associates, Partners et Sons»), electrical equipment «Mass Portal Industrial Design Language» placed second, with the third place being granted to Liepaja city website by the agency «Wrong Digital». Design Award’s main partner, IT company «Accenture» bestowed their special award for «Digital business» to the Road Traffic Safety Directorate website by «Wrong Digital». 127 design works were submitted to the NDAL were evaluated by an international jury team.

The exhibition «National Design Award of Latvia 2018» at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design showcases 20 of the best works submitted for the competition, which exemplify the current situation in Latvian design. The main message of NDAL 2018 communicated through both the award’s visual identity and its conceptual content is «Design connects», which highlights the interaction between industries in design and is also reflected in the exhibition’s concept. The exhibition has been devised with the goal of promoting an active process of reference and promoting a meaningful discussion about the need for quality design.

The exhibition design is made by NDAL organisers, design studio «H2E», while the digital dimension of the exhibition is being organised by the main partner of the NDAL «Accenture Latvia».

National Design Award of Latvia 2018 finalists

• Wood SUP board «GG SUP Race 12.6» and paddle «GG SUP EO 1.0» — design, product development by Māris Galenieks, technical design, construction by Artis Strazdiņš.
• Interior, packaging, identity for the distillery «Rizhskiy Samogon» — «Variant Studio», designer Artūrs Analts, architect Jurijs Gluhovskis.
• Electrical equipment «Mass Portal Industrial Design Language» — «Mass Portal», concept author Jānis Grīnhofs, design engineer Egils Gēcis, graphic designer Krišs Bērzkalns, project manager Krista Vaivade, technological consultant Georgijs Bakradze, product designers Juris Kļava, Aivars Vaivods, Reinis Liepkalns.
• Book «Boy and his Story of a secret untold» — writer Inese Zandere, illustrator Reinis Pētersons, designers Artis Briedis, Rūta Briede, publishers «Liels un mazs», Žanis Lipke Memorial, editor Maima Grīnberga, proofreader Guna Kalniņa.
• Audio effects units «Plasma Pedal» and «Plus Pedal» — «Gamechanger Audio», director Iļja Krūmiņš, manager Didzis Dubovskis, electronics development by Mārtiņš Meļķis, production manager Kristaps Kaļva, designer Fricis Kalvelis.
• RIGA IFF visual communication and spatial objects — «Associates, Partners et Sons», art director, Creative Lead, designer Daniela Treija, designer Ainis Permins, design director Edgars Zvirgzdiņš, creative team: Kristaps Zelmenis, Una Bergmane, animation and video by Kaspars Kursišs, Eduards Laķis, «Kind».
• Exhibition «Print Workshop» — National Library of Latvia, graphic design and set design by Anete Krūmiņa, curator Maija Uzula–Petrovska, project manager Anda Boluža, technical solutions by Jevgenijs Sisojevs, Ainārs Egle, «Dekorāciju darbnīca», sound by Renarts Braufmanis, education programme by Inga Surgunte.
• Dinnerware collection «Eclipse» — Laima Grigone, prototype development, technical support by Sandra Pēča, Inārs Čukurs, Dace Oša.
• Type family «Pilot» — Aleksandra Samuļenkova.
• Road Traffic Safety Directorate website — «Wrong Digital», information architecture and design by Jānis Veģis, Jānis Putāns, programmers Raimonds Sarkanbārdis, Artūrs Gulbis, Artūrs Kurzemnieks, project manager Ilze Grietēna.
• Sweatshirt by clothing brand «I Got SMTHN to Say» — Helvijs Fiņķis, creative director Sigita Krivoda, co–owner Ainārs Neimanis.
• Medical device–crawler «Step by Step» — Valters Krētainis, Liepaja Music, Art and Design Secondary School, work project manager Andris Garokalns, work manager Guntis Jekste.
• Liepaja city website — «Wrong Digital», information architecture and design byLiene Geidāne, Oskars Cirsis, programmers Artūrs Gulbis, Raimonds Sarkanbārdis, project manager Ilze Grietēna.
• Book «The Horse» — designers Rūta Briede, Artis Briedis, illustrators Anete Melece, Anna Vaivare, Anita Paegle, Vivianna Marija Staņislavska, Reinis Pētersons, Aleksejs Naumovs, Gundega Muzikante, Māra Viška, Pēteris Līdaka, Edmunds Jansons, Elīna Brasliņa, Ernests Kļaviņš, Maija Kurševa, Mārtiņš Zutis, Rūta Briede, Juris Petraškevičs, Liene Mackus, Roberts Rūrāns, Rebeka Lukošus, Zane Zlemeša.
• Exhibition «Luther. The Turn» — National Library of Latvia, designers Una Grants, Anete Krūmiņa, set designer Reinis Suhanovs, curators Gustavs Strenga, Andris Levāns, project managers Brigita Zelča–Aispure, Kristiāna Kirša, digital solutions by «Cube», technical production by «Dekorāciju darbnīca».
• Lightning object «Star Wrap pendant lamp» — «Zilbers Design», design, technical solution and packaging by Dāvis Līcītis, Pēteris Zilbers.
• Typeface «Cīrulis Display» — «Asketic», Miķelis Baštiks, Aleksandrs Beļajevs.
• Bag for carrying an autonomic infusion system «Power mouse» — Lauma Reitere, Art Academy of Latvia, tutors Ilze Kundziņa, Mareks Birznieks.
• Visual identity of Design and champagne shop/bar «Modernists» — interior design and artistic layout concept by Santa Pīlēna, Mārtiņš Pīlēns, graphic designer Beāte Ligere.
• Clothing collection «Repair 2» — «One Wolf», designer Agnese Narņicka, assistant Dzintra Līdiga.

The exhibition «National Design Award of Latvia 2018» is open at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (MDAD) Skārņu iela 10/20, Riga, until May 20. More information on the Award can be found on its webpage.